I have a huge problem, and I can't seem to shake it. When I was younger, around 9-12, I could come up with plots and ideas for novels easily. It would take me all of five minutes to think of something I thought sounded reasonable and then another ten to get really stuck into actually writing it. Nowadays, I can't even think of something I like, without thinking that it's already been done before (yes, I know, nothing is original. You get what I mean). I struggle and struggle and struggle, but I can't come up with anything. So, my question is this: Have any of you experienced this type of thing before, and if so, how did you overcome it? Do you have any tips on coming up with something reasonable and slightly original? Thanks in advance
Well, how do those ideas stand on their own now? Is it that you really are having problems thinking of things, or is it that your standards have risen enough that you block out ideas of a lower quality you'd normall would have taken when you were younger?
For fear of echoing Theo, yeah, I think its really a matter of your brain has raised the bar on what constitutes a good idea. The story possibilities you could imagine at 12 have been destroyed by logic, knowledge, science, plausibility and gaping plot holes that your more mature self can identify before the stories can even manifest themselves... or I could tell you some drivel about how you've simply lost your childhood forever...
My dad used to play a game with me when I was younger where we'd pick a story and then talk about other possible endings. I think it helps me take ideas and make them fresh. Of course all the good memories associated with dreaming like that make it enjoyable for me but you might try it when you start thinking your story idea is too much like something else. Also I often don't come up with the story idea first, I dream up a fun character and then try to decide what story they might have in their life or come up with a plot that would suit them.
Here's an idea: Space nuns. You can have that one for free! Seriously, I echo Amy. Start with a character. You don't have to have a plot in mind. Just put that character into a situation and see what he/she does. Don't be afraid to write scenes with the character in very different situations. How would your character do if he/she was on trial for murder? How would your character do as the captain of the starship Enterprise? How would your character do when confronted by a family emergency, such as a child with a terminal disease? How would your character cope with being drafted and sent to war? Or losing a job? Or flunking out of college? Eventually, you'll find a spark, and probably sooner rather than later. If you put a character in a situation and start writing, ideas will come. Trust yourself. Trust your imagination. Start writing, and you'll soon find you have something to write about!
I think that could be it. A lot of the ideas that I came up with back in the day were outrageously illogical and would result in just relentless action scenes, and that doesn't really make for good storytelling. That's a good idea. I'll have to try it out, and see where it gets me (Hopefully somewhere interesting ) Space nuns, sounds good! But seriously, thanks for the advice. I'll whip up a character and see what happens Thank you everyone for the advice, hopefully I can break the writer's block and get back to what I like best: writing.
